The performance of teaching is a live act and its outcome i.e. learning, is difficult to capture but one

method is by means of observing student’s performances of understanding. Performances of

understanding were described by the Project Zero team at Harvard University as students utilising

learning in a new and innovative way that demonstrates their mastery and understanding of a topic1.

In so doing a snapshot of the act of learning itself is achieved. Performances of understanding by

means of group presentations within a simulated teaching environment are presented.

Postgraduate midwifery students demonstrated their learning by presenting preparation for

parenthood education sessions in the replicated teaching environment of the clinical skills laboratory.

The students were simulating the role of qualified midwives while their peers were in the guise of

prospective parents. In this way the students had the opportunity of practising their professional roles

within the safe environment of the clinical skills laboratory.

These presentations were audio visually recorded, so that the students and assessors could revisit the

performances. The presentations were assessed using a peer reviewed Benchmark Course Portfolio2.

The use of vignettes in the students own words are used to validate these student presentations as a

means of capturing teaching and learning. The procedures of simulated learning environment and

audio visual recording, while new to midwifery are worthwhile, acceptable and valuable means of

facilitating and assessing student learning.